Air conditioning units



July 24, 1962 R. F. LAUl-:R

AIR CONDITIONING UNITS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 25, 1960 July 24,1962 R. F. I AUER AIR coNDIToNxNG UNITS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 25,1960 .iv4 w [Inl/lill] l/ l',

July 24, 1962 R. F. LAUER AIR CONDITIONING UNITS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 FiledNOV. 25, 1960 TO THERMOSTAT OUTDOOR COIL a5 REsTmc'roR CAPILLARY TUBEMOTOR M Y Ll/I '.22

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United States Patent Oee 3,045,448 Patented July 2d, 1962 3,045,448 AIRCONDITIONING UNITS Rodney F. Lauer, Staunton, Va., assgnor toWestinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporationof Pennsylvania Filed Nov. 25, 1960, Ser. No. 71,809 9 Claims. (Cl.62-263) This invention relates to air conditioning units, and relatesmore particularly to air conditioning units for buildings having noattics or basements in which the usual air conditioning units can belocated.

Air co-nditioning units for cooling the entire interior space of aresidence as distinguished from so-called room coolers and windoweboxunits which can eiectively cool individual rooms only, have heretoforebeen installed in the cellars or attics of residences with their outletsconnected by duct-s to the rooms of the residences. In the 1 southernportions o f the United States, many residences have outer wallsconstructed of hollow concrete building blocks, and have no cellars orattics. This invention enables such a residence to be supplied withconditioned air from a unit supported on the outer side of one of itswalls, this wall having a pair of spaced-apart ones of its Ibuildingblocks omitted or removed, and the air conditioning unit having an airoutlet and an air inlet connected by ducts in the openings in thebuilding wall resulting from the missing blocks, with the space withinthe residence. The unit is self-contained, is serviceable from outsidethe residence without disturbing the occupants thereof, and is easilyinstalled.

A feature of this invention is that such an air conditioning unit issupported from the building wall by hangers which extend from the unitinto the openings left by the missing building blocks.

An object of this invention is to support an air conditioning unit onthe outer side of an exterior wall of a building, and to connect the airoutlet and the recirculated air inlet of the unit through ductsextending through openings in the building wall, with the interior ofthe buillding.

Another object of this invention is to remove or omit two spaced-apartbuilding blocks from a building wail composed of building blocks, and tosupport an air conditioning unit` on the outer side of the w-all, withthe air outlet and the recirculated air inlet of the unit, connected byducts in the spaces lett by the missing blocks, with the interior of thebuilding.

Another object of this invention is to remove or omit two spaced-apartbuilding blocks from a building wall composed of hollow building blocks,and to support an air conditioning unit on the outer side of the wall byhangers extending into the interiors ofthe blocks below and adjacent tothe spaces left by the missing blocks, with the air outlet and therecirculated air inlet of the unit, connected by ducts in the spacesleft by the missing blocks, with the interior of the building.

Another object of this invention is to remove or omit two spaced-apartbuilding blocks from a building wall composed of hollow building blocks,to support an air conditioning unit on the outer side of the wall byhangers extending into the interiors of the blocks below and adjacent tothe spaces left by the missing blocks, with the air outlet and therecirculated Vair inlet of the unit, connected by ducts in the spacesleft by the missing blocks,

FIG. l is a side View, in section, of a building wall composed of hollowbuilding blocks, with two, spacedapart, vertically-aligned blocksomitted, and 'of an air conditioning unit embodying this invention,supported on the outer side of the Wall, with its air outlet andrecirculated air inlet connected by ducts extending through the spacesleft by the missing blocks, with the interior of the building;

FIG. 2 is a section along the line 2--2 of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary section of the upper portion of theunit of FIGS. l and 2;

FIG. 4 is a section along the lines 4 4 of FIG 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective View, in reduced scale, of the unit mounted on awall of a building;

FIG. 6 is a circuit schematic showing the refrigerant and electricalcircuits of the unit;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary section of the unit, showing a frameconnected to the unit, and extending Within the inner end of the upperduct, for connection to an air outlet grille as shown by dashed lines,or to an extension duct as shown by solid lines, and

`FIG. 8 is a plan view, in section, looking down on FIG. 7.

A residence having an innerfspace l0 to be supplied with conditionedair, has an external wall ll composed of hollow, rectangular blocks 12of concrete or other suitable material, on a concrete door 13 having anouter portion 14 forming the oor of a porch.

A seventh block 12 above the floor, and an eleventh block l2 above thedoor, vertically aligned with the seventh block, are omitted or removed,leaving rectangular spa-ces in which are placed air supply and returnducts `l5 and 16 respectively. The ducts preferably are collapsibleliners, As shown by FIG. 2, since the blocks in adjacent vertical rowsare staggered, there are halves of two blocks below the opening left byeach missing block.

A heat pump unit 18 has a rectangular casing I9 which extendstherearound except for air inlet and outlet openings 20 and Ztlrespectively, connecting with the ducts l5 and 16 respectively, in theback wall 35 of the unit; except for an outdoor air inlet opening Z3 inone of the side walls of the unit, and except for an outdoor air outlet24 in the front wall of the unit. The outdoor air inlet and outletopenings have grilles thereacross. There may be another outdoor airinlet opening in the opposite side wall of the unit. The casing I9 hasan inner wall 26 spaced slightly from its front and top walls.

The unit t8 is supported from the wall 11 by upper and lower hangerplates 56 and 56 respectively. The outer end of the lower plate 56 isattached to the back wall 35. The inner portion of the plate 36 extendsthrough the outer portion of the opening left by the removal of thelower removed building block, and rests on the tops of the two adjacentlower blocks. The bottom of the duct lo rests on the top of the plate36. The plate 36 has at its inner end a pair of spaced-apart, clampflanges 46 which extend downwardly into the interiors of the adjacentlower blocks, and which have wing-bolts 47 threaded therethrough againstthe vertically extending inner surfaces of such lower blocks. The plate56 has vertically extending side portions 50 in contact with the outersurfaces of the vertical sides of the duct 16. rThe side portions 50have anges 5l which extend transversely into the inlet opening 2l, andwhich receive the threaded outer ends of screws 52 which support agrille 53 across the inner end of the duct 16.

The outer end of the upper clamp plate 56 is attached to the back wall35. The inner portion of the plate 56 extends through the outer portionof the opening left by the removal of the upper removed building block,and rests on the tops of the adjacent lower blocks. The bottom of theduct l5 rests on the top of the plate 56. The

3 plate 56 has at its inner end, a pair of spaced-apart, clamp flanges58 which extend downwardly into the interiors of the adjacent lowerblocks, and which have wing-bolts 59 threaded therethrough against thevertically extending inner surfaces of such lower blocks. The plate 56has vertically extending side portions 62 in contact with the outersurfaces of the vertical sides of the duct 15. The side portions 62 haveanges 63 which extend transversely into the outlet opening 20, and whichreceive the threaded outer ends of screws 64 which support a grille 65across the inner end of the duct 15.

A partition wall 3) has a curved inner portion 31 attached at its innerend to the clamp plate 36. The outer end of the wall 30 is attached tothe front wall of the casing 19. The wall 30 divides the unit 18 into anupper, air conditioning compartment 68, and into a lower,compressor-outdoor coil compartment 69. The underside of the partitionwall 3() has a mat 44 of heat insulating material attached thereto. Asimilar mat 45 extends between the inner wall 26 and the front wall ofthe casing above the mat 44, and extends between the wall 26 and the topof the casing.

A control thermostat 55 is supported Within the duct 16 from thepartition wall portion 31.

An outdoor air coil 25 is supported within the compartment 69 on thelower wall of the casing 19, and supported behind the coil Z is apropeller fan having blades 27. The fan has an electric motor 28supported by arms 29 from the casing 32 of the fan.

A hermetically-sealed refrigerant compressor 40 is supported within thecompartment 69 on rails 41 and on spaced-apart brackets which areconnected to the walls 26 and 35 of the casing 19.

A slanted, indoor air coil 33 within the upper compartment 68 issupported at its lower end to a slanted drain pan 37, and is supportedat its upper end to the inner wall 26 of the casing 19. The drain pan issupported at one end to the clamp plate 56 and the wall 35, and at itsother end to the wall 26. The coil 33 is connected to the coil 25 bytubing 70. A reversal valve 71 seen on FIG. 6, is connected in thetubing 70. The drain pan 37 has a drain tube 72 extending from itsbottom through the lower wall of the casing 19, for removing watercondensed from the air when the coil 33 is acting as an evaporator.

A motor and fan mounting bracket '38 is supported at its outer end tothe wall 26, and at its inner end by plates 39 to the drain pan 37. Apair of spaced-apart, centrifugal fans 74 wth an electric motor 75 fordriving the fans 74, are supported by the bracket 38. The inlets of thefans 74 draw air into the unit 18 through the recirculated air inletopening 21 and blow the air through the indoor air coil 33 into theoutlet opening 20. The outlets of the fans 74 connect with air openingsin the bottom of the drain pan 37 above its water level. Collected watercannot enter such openings since it is continuously drained through thetube 72.

An air sealing gasket 80 of natural or synthetic rubber or othersuitable material, extends the heighth and width of the unit 18 betweenits back wall 35 and the adjacent outer surface of the building wall,this gasket having rectangular cut-outs connecting with the outer endsof the ducts and 16.

As shown by FIG. 5, the electrical Wiring to the unit is carried througha conduit 81 to a terminal box 82 on one of the side walls of the unit.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 1-5 of the drawings, the conditioned air fromthe unit 18 is discharged through a grille extending across the innerside of the building wall, into the interior of the building. FIGS. 7and 8 illustrate another embodiment of the invention in which means isprovided for either supporting such a grille from the unit, or forsupporting a duct to extend into the building for conveying conditionedair to another space or other spaces in the building.

A plate 90 has an inner, vertical wall portion 91 extending flat againstthe inner side of the wall of the building around the opening left bythe missing upper building block, and has an outer, vertical wallportion 92 within the inner end portion of the duct 15. The wall portion92 has a rectangular opening 93 for the passage of conditioned air. Theplate 90 has a horizontal wall portion 94 connecting the wall portions91 and 92. The wall portion 92 has screws 95 extending therethrough andthreaded into the anges 63 of the upper clamp plate 56. A duct collar 98has the outer surface of its outer end portion in contact with the innersurface of the wall portion 94, and is attached to the wall portion 94by screws 97. The outer end portion of a duct 98 extends around theinner portion of the collar 96 in snug contact therewith. The duct 98conveys conditioned air from the unit into another room or other roomsof the building.

lf the extension duct 98 is not used, then the collar 96 is omitted, andan air outletl grille 65 shown in dashed lines on FIGS. 7 and 8, isattached by screws 100 to the wall portion 91 over the inner end of theduct 15. A sealing gasket which is not shown, would be placed in thespace 181 between the ends of the grille and the inner surface of thebuilding wall.

The refrigerant circuit of the heat pump 18, shown by FIG. 6, is, exceptthat refrigerant distributors are not used, essentially that of the G.L. Biehn Patent No. 2,785,- 540 which issued March 19, 1957. It has areversal valve 71 of the type disclosed in the Ditzler-Biehn Patent No.2,672,734 which issued March 23, 1954. The thermostat 55 connects motorM of the compressor 40, and solenoid S which adjusts the valve 71, toelectric supply lines L1 and L2. The valve 71 is connected in the tubing70 which connects the indoor air coil 33 with the outdoor air coil 25.The valve 71 is also connected through discharge gas tube 84 to thedischarge side of the compressor 40, and is connected by tube to liquidreceiver R which is connected by tube 86 to the suction side of thecompressor. The coil 33 is connected through restrictor 87 and capillarytube 88 to the outdoor air coil 25.

The solid-line arrows of FIG. 6 show the direction of flow of therefrigerant during the heating cycle, and the dashed-line arrows of FIG.6 show the direction of flow of the refrigerant during the coolingcycle. The restrictor 87 reduces the flow of refrigerant during thecooling cycle as disclosed in said Biehn patent. The capillary tube 88provides two-way expansion of the refrigerant.

When the thermostat 55 calls for cooling, it operates the solenoid S toadjust the valve 71 to pass refrigerant in the direction shown by thedashed-line arrows, and starts the compressor motor M if the latter isnot operating. At this time, the indoor air coil 33 is an evaporator,and the outdoor air coil 25 is a condenser.

When the thermostat calls for heating, it operates the solenoid S toadjust the valve 71 to pass refrigerant in the direction shown by thesolidline arrows, and starts the compressor motor if the latter is notoperating. At this time, the indoor air coil 33 is a condenser, and theoutdoor air coil 25 is an evaporator.

During both cycles, the thermostat 55 starts and stops the motor M as isnecessary to provide the desired indoor temperature.

An outdoor air inlet opening through the casing 19 into the compartment68 could be provided for fresh, make-up air if such is desired.

In the annexed claims, the ducts referred to as extending through theopenings in the building wall, could be any form of surface for liningsuch openings.

What is claimed is:

l. In combination with a building having an interior space and having anouter wall bounding one side of said space, said wall consisting ofsuperimposed, hollow building blocks, two, spaced-apart,vertically-aligned ones of said blocks being omitted to leave upper andlower openings in said building wall, an air conditioning unit having aback wall at the outer surface of said building wall, said back wallhaving an air outlet opening aligned with said upper opening and havinga recirculated air inlet opening aligned with said lower opening, meansextending horizontally from said unit into said upper and lower openingsand downwardly from said last mentioned means into the interiors of theadjacent ones of said blocks below said openings for supporting saidunit from said last mentioned blocks, upper and lower ducts within saidupper and lower openings respectively, above said horizontal extendingmeans, connecting said space with said outlet and inlet openingsrespectively, and means within said unit for conditioning air and forsupplying the conditioned air through said outlet opening and said upperduct into said space and for drawing air from said space through saidlower duct and said inlet opening into said unit.

2. In combination with a building having an interior space, and havingan outer wall bounding one side of said space, said wall consisting ofsuperimposed, hollow, building blocks, two, spaced-apart,verticallyaligned ones of said blocks being omitted to leave upper andlower openings in said wall, an air conditioning unit having a back wallat the exterior surface of said building wall, said back wall having anair outlet opening aligned with said upper opening and having arecirculated air inlet opening aligned with said lower opening, meansextending from said unit into said upper and lower openings and into theinteriors of the adjacent blocks below said upper and lower openings forsupporting said unit from said building wall, upper and lower ductswithin said upper and lower openings respectively, above said supportingmeans, and means within said unit for conditioning air and supplying theconditioned air through said outlet opening and said upper duct intosaid space and for drawing air from said space through said lower ductand said inlet opening into said unit.

3. In combination with a building having an interior space, and havingan outer` wall bounding one side of said space, said wall consisting ofsuperimposed, hollow, building blocks, two spaced-apart,vertically-aligned ones of said blocks being omitted to leave upper andlower openings in said wall, an air conditioning unit having a back wallat the exterior surface of said building wall, said back wall having anair outlet opening aligned with said upper opening and having arecirculated air inlet opening aligned with said lower opening, clampingplates extending horizontally from said unit into said upper and loweropenings and resting on the tops of the adjacent blocks below said upperand lower openings, said plates having clamping ilanges extendingdownwardly into the spaces within said adjacent blocks, bolts threadedthrough said ilanges and contacting sides of the interiors of saidadjacent blocks, rectangular ducts within said upper and lower openingsand having at lower sides on said plates, and means within said unit forconditioning air and supplying the conditioned air into said spacethrough said outlet and said upper duct and for drawing air from saidspace through said lower duct and said inlet opening into said unit.

4. In combination with a building having an interior space, and havingan outer wall bounding one side of said space, said wall consisting ofsuperimposed, hollow, building blocks, -two spaced-apart, verticallyaligned ones of said blocks being omitted to leave upper and loweropenings in said wall, an air conditioning unit having a back wall atthe exterior surface of said building wall, said back wall having an airoutlet opening aligned with said upper opening and having a recirculatedair inlet opening aligned with said lower opening, clamping platesextending horizontally from said unit into said upper and loweropenings, said plates having clamping anges extending downwardly intothe spaces within the adjacent blocks below said upper and loweropenings, said plates resting on the tops of said adjacent blocks, boltsthreaded through said ilanges and contacting interior surfaces of saidadjacent blocks, rectangular ducts within said upper and lower openingshaving their lower sides on said plates, grilles extending across saidducts at the interior surface of said building wall, said plates havinggrille flanges at opposite sides of said outlet opening, means forsupporting said grilles `from said grille anges, said ducts resting onsaid plates, and means within said unit for conditioning air andsupplying the conditioned air through said outlet opening and the upperof said ducts and for drawing air through said inlet opening and thelower of said ducts into said unit.

5. In combination with a building having an interior space, and havingan outer wall bounding one side of said space, said wall consisting ofhollow building blocks, two, spaced-apart ones of said blocks beingomitted to leave aligned, spaced-apart, first and second openings insaid wall, an air conditioning unit having a back wall at `the exteriorsurface of said building wall, said back wall having an air outletopening aligned with said rst opening and having a recirculated airinlet opening aligned with said second opening, means extendinghorizontally 'from said unit into said trst and second openings anddownwardly into the interiors of the adjacent blocks below said openings`for supporting said unit from said adjacent blocks, rectangular `firstand second ducts in said first and second openings respectively, havingflat lower sides on said horizontally extending means, and means within`said unit for conditioning air and supplying the conditioned airthrough said outlet opening and said first duct into said space and fordrawing air (from said space through said second duct and said inletopening into said unit.

6. In combination with a building having an interior space and having anouter wall bounding said space on one side, said wall having two,spaced-apart, aligned openings extending therethrough, an airconditioning unit having a back wall at the outer surface of saidbuilding wall, said unit having an air outlet aligned with one of saidopenings and a recirculated air inlet aligned with the other of saidopenings, ducts extending through said openings and connecting with saidinlet and outlet, means in said unit for conditioning air and forsupplying the conditioned air through said outlet and the one of saidducts connecting therewith into said space, and for drawing air to beconditioned through the one of said ducts connecting with said inlet,and said inlet, into said unit, and means extending from said unit intosaid openings below said ducts and into said building wall below saidopenings vfor supporting said unit from said building wall.

7. In combination with a building having an interior space and having anouter wall bounding one side of said space, said wall having two,spaced-apart, aligned openings extending therethrough, an airconditioning unit having a back wall at the outer surface of saidbuilding wall, said unit having an air outlet aligned with one of saidopenings and a recirculated air inlet aligned with theother of saidopenings, ducts extending through said openings and connecting with saidoutlet and inlet, means in said unit -for conditioning air and forsupplying the conditioned air through said outlet and the one of saidducts connected to said outlet into said space, and for drawing air tobe conditioned through the one of said ducts connected to said inlet,and said inlet, into said unit, grilles extending across the inner endsof said ducts, means extending through said ducts connecting saidgrilles to said unit, and means extending from said back wall into saidopenings below said ducts for supporting said unit from said .buildingwall.

8. In combination with a building having an interior space and having anouter wall bounding one side of said space, said wall having two,spaced-apart, vertically aligned openings extending therethrough, an airconditioning unit having a back wall at the outer sur-face of saidbuilding wall, said unit having an air outlet aligned with the upper oneof said openings and having a recirculated air inlet aligned with thelower one of said openings-upper.andlower ducts extending through saidupper and lower openings respectively, and connecting with said outletand inlet respectively, means within said unit `for conditioning air andfor supplying the conditioned air through said outlet and upper ductinto said space, and for drawing air to be conditioned through saidlower duct and said inlet into said unit, means extending into saidlower opening and into said building wall below said lower opening andsaid lower duct for supporting said unit from said building wall, agrille at the inner surface of said building wall and across the innerend of `said lower duct, means extending through said lower duct forsupporting said grille from said unit, means extending into said upperopening and into said building wall below said upper opening and saidupper duct `for supporting said unit lfrom said building wall, a supportfor an extension duct or for an air outlet grille, said support havingan outer, hollow portion extending from said inner surface of saidbuilding wall into said upper opening, and having a verticallyextendingV inner portion in contact with said inner sur-face of saidbuilding wall around the inner end of said upper opening, meansconnecting said support lto said unit, means `for connecting anextension duct to said outer portion of said support when an air outletgrille is not used at the inner end of said upper duct, and means forconnecting an air outlet grille to said inner portion of said supportwhen an extension duct is not used.

9. In combination with a building having an inner space and having anouter wall bounding one side of said space, said wall having two,spaced-apart openings extending therethrough, anair conditioning unithaving a back wallrat the outer side ofsaid building wall, said unithaving an air outlet aligned with one of said openings and having arecirculated air inlet aligned with the other one of said openings,ducts extending from said outlet and inlet through said openings, meansfor conditioning air and for blowing the conditioned air through saidoutlet into one of said ducts and for drawing air from said spacethrough the other one of said ducts and said inlet into said unit, meansextending lfrom said back Wall into said openings and into said outerwall below said ducts for supporting said unit from said outer wall,

`and a support for an extension duct or an air outlet grille connectedthrough said one duct to said unit, said support having an inner portionin said space and having an outer portion in said one duct, said outerportion having an ai1 opening aligned with said outlet, said supporthaving means for connecting said inner portion to an extension duct, andhaving means for connecting said inner portion to an air outlet grilleextending across the inner -end of said upper opening when an extensionduct is not used.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

